Category Archives: Hotel

Hotel

Top 4 Hotel Secrets for Travelers

An average cost to flip a hotel room costs $30-40 per day. This includes the cleaning supplies, electricity, mini-bar attendants, hourly wages of maids, the cost of washing of the sheets and all other costs associated with the hotel employees and their services. By comparing the hotel room’s operational cost to the average hotel room rent rates, travelers can see why the hotel business is so profitable.

Below are top 4 secrets that travelers should be privy to if they want to book a hotel room.

1) The Possibility of Getting Walked: An average hotel will book its rooms 10% over capacity. That is because the average no-show rate of customers is 10 percent. Sometimes all the guests show up and that someone has to get walked by the hotel. This means that the hotel will now pay their entire night’s room including tax plus add in one telephone call for the inconvenience and get them a room at a comparable or slightly lower grade hotel. This usually happens to guests who are not regulars at a particular hotel, or have only booked the hotel room for one night. One of the biggest reasons for guests to get walked is when they act like jerks to the hotel staff.

2) Complain Smartly: Complains are directly referred to the front desks, however most issues are not caused by the front desk at all. You can be a smart complainer by going to the front desk, telling them about your issue and asking questions on whom you should speak about the complaint to. Also be polite about it. Many problems can be solved by the front desk attendant but you have to make sure that he does it. Make sure that the front desk listens to your complain and then go do something about it. Ask his name so that he knows that you now have leverage over him and can complain to the management if he doesn’t resolve your issue.

3) Get an Upgrade: Travelers hear a lot of front desk agents say that all rooms are the same. However there are always a few rooms in the hotel which have a bigger bed, bigger flat screen, better bathroom or just a better view. By providing the front desk agent with a good tip, you can ensure that the upgraded room is yours for the night. Even if the hotel does not have a better room, you can get many value-adding amenities like late check outs, free movie, free mini-bar or other discounted hotel deals that are not advertised about. This is not a bribe; hotel desk agents are authorized to provide upgrades for special occasions so don’t hesitate to ask for one when you get to a hotel.

4) Let the Bellboy Carry Your Suitcase: The wheeled suitcase came out in 1970 and ever since have been the bane of bellboys’ existence. Because of the wheeled suitcases, guests no longer have need of bellboys to carry their hefty luggage; they can wheel it in themselves. Because of this, bellboys get fewer tips which leave their household bills unpaid. So next time to book a room at a hotel, give some consideration to the bellboy too.

Hotel

How to Get the Best Hotel at the Best Price

The following are some tips that might be helpful in making your choice of hotels.

1. Hotel Ratings:
The initial step in choosing a hotel is to make a list of hotels that are in the area you plan to visit. Then find out about each one. There are several ways to do this. One method is to simply ask someone who’s been there. Another way is to do an online search for guest ratings. While on line, you can also read reviews by former guest. In addition you could call the Tourist Bureau or Chamber of Commerce in the city you plan to visit. They can provide very helpful information, as well as giving recommendations of good hotels and good prices.

2. Facilities:
Once you have narrowed down your choice of hotels to something manageable, the next thing to consider is what kind of facilities they have. Some considerations might be good concierge services, shuttle services, good laundry services, indoor or outdoor swimming pool, Internet connections, on site restaurants, gym facilities and whatever else might persuade you one way or another. To determine if the hotel has the facilities that meet your needs, again you can again go online, or just simply call some of the hotels on your list and ask them about the type of amenities they have.

3. Location:
Now that you have narrowed down your choice of hotels even more based on facilities, the next step is to decide upon a location in the area that you plan to visit. Some of the factors to consider are access to amenities, such as restaurants, shopping areas, laundry facilities and proximity to attractions you plan to visit. In addition, if you don’t have access to a car, it would be a good idea to choose a hotel that is in walking distance from some of the amenities as noted above. It would also be worth your while to do a background check of the area, because you would definitely want to stay clear of rough neighborhoods.

4. Transportation and Parking
You need to find out if the hotel has shuttle services to and from the airport, or to and from other locations of interest. If they don’t have this service, find out how much you can except to pay for public transportation. If you’re going to rent a car upon your arrival, check out what rental companies are available and what is their cost, as well as what kind of parking facilities does the hotel offer?

5. Hotel Rates
By now you’ve probably narrowed down you choices to a couple of hotels. However, for those of you who are on a budget, which is most of us, probably the most important consideration is the price of the hotel. Making a finally decision on which hotel to choose, becomes a balancing act between amenities and cost. If they are all too expensive for you budget, you then have at least two choices. One, you can revise your list. You might ask yourself, “Do I really need this or that particular amenity.” Just because a hotel doesn’t have valet parking, for example, doesn’t mean that it is not a warm and comfortable place to stay.

On the other hand, maybe you can still have the facility of your choice, by checking into the availability of discounts. Members of certain car clubs get discounts. Sometimes Military people or veterans can get discounts, as well as senior citizens. Also, sometimes credit card companies offer discount rates for cardholders to certain hotels or you may be able to get hotel discounts through frequent flyer points. In addition, there are hotel coupon books, in which you can get discount coupons for certain hotels or hotel chains. However, probably the best way to get a discount is to travel during off-season or non-peak days, such as weekdays.

6. Booking
It is always a good idea to book you flight and hotel in advance. Sometimes you are required to book as much as 60 days ahead of time. If you are going to use a Travel service, they can tell you how far in advance you need to book, but usually by booking in advance you will be able to get a better room rate, than if you wait until the last minute. If you’re going to stay at a chain hotel, you can often get a better rate by booking in advance online. This may also be possible with some non-chains. Just Google them and see what they have to offer.

The bottom line is, if you take the time to do your research, you will be able to find a great hotel at a reasonable price that still offers the services you need.